Dental appliance.



FOR-EST 0. KEIFER, 0F ELK CITYy OKLAHOMA.

DENTAL APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. ist, i913.

Application filed May 7, 1912. Serial No. 695.769.

The appliance is preferablyv toi-med of an r i l yBe it known that l, ltonusr O. lucirun, a l integral strip S, which is substantially Y- eitizen of the llnited States, residing at Elk City, in the count)v ol Beckham and State` of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Dental Appliances, of which the following a specification.

The present invention relates to a novel appliance for holding an instrument adapt'- ed for use in connection with dental work.

An important object of this invention is to provide an appliance of the above mentioned character which is adapted to hold one ot' a number ot' instruments in a proper manner :tor its best use and at the same time permit of the ready removal ot this instrument and t-he substitution therefor ot' an other instrument.

A further objectof my invention is to provide an appliance to be held in the hand of the user and manually operated, and which is constructed to hold an instrument., such as a saw, strip ot sand paper, rubber band or the like, in a proper stretched condition so that it may be more advantageously employed in the work for which it is intended.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means 'for spreading the instrumentsholding parts of the appliance t'or regulating the tension placed on the instrument.

l A further object ot' the invention to provide an appliance ot' the above mentioned character which is simple in construction, cheap to nnniul'acture, and durable.

-Other objects and advantages of the i' vention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part et this specitcation and in which like numerals are employed lidesignate like parts throughout the saine, Figure l is a plan 'view of the appliance, Fig. l is a side view of the same, Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal section through th -2 adjusting wedge and associated element, Fig. t is an enlarged section taken on line -t ot `Fig. 1,

shaped. This Y-shaped strip .or trame S preferably formed of metal or other inaterial having a desired degree ot stiti'ness and resiliency. The `t'shaped frame includes handle portions t) inclined to provide a wedge-shaped space l() therebetween, which tapers toward the torvard ortree end ot the trame. vllt the forward ends ot the handle portions t) are formed arms 11, which diverge toward their free ends and carry parallel longitudinal portions l2, as shown. The arms ll are capable ot having` restricted movemert toward and awa-v trom each other, as will be apparent hereinafter.

Disposed in the toi-ward contracted portion ot' the opening` 10,is an adjusting or spreading wedge 12%. which is preferably thicker than the handle portions t), which it slidably engages. This wedge is provided with a longitudinal opening 1l, for recei\ ing spaced guide pins lo, having their ends `titled in openings formed in the handle portions t), as shown.

The end portions l2 are provided with openings 16, for receiving rotatable hold-v ing-post 1T, carrying milled heads iti. l`he holding-posts are each provided near `the head lb, with an annular groove lt), lfer ref ceiving the inner end ot a claiuping-screw 20, et rrwving a milled hea'd 2t. This clamp ing-screw prevents the longitudinal displacement ot the holding-post 1T, permits its being turned. and is adapted to hold it against such turning.

Each ot the holding-posts i7 is provided with a longitudinal slot or opening` 22 and upon one side and near its tree end with groove or grooves The holding-posts 1T serve to detachablv hold an instrument, such as a saw. strip ol' sand paper, an elastic band or the like. ll'hen the word "instrument is employed in the claims it is to be taken in its broad sense, as covering all of the above named tools or devices and those which may he similarly used.

The numeral designates an instrument, which in this instance is a saw. provided near its ends with transverse pins to enter the grooves Q3, while the saw tits in the openings QQ.

The numeral Q6 designates an instrument, which is a strip ot' sand paper, having its tree ends passed through the openings 22, as shown. XVhen this strip ot sand paper is invention herewith shown and described'is to he talten as a preferred example of the same and that certain changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the suhjoined f claims.

Having thus described my invention, l elaim:-

l. A dental appliance, comprising an integral approximately Y-shaped frame including a resilient handle portion having Arelatively movable -sides. arranged to form a 'wedge-shaped opening therebetween7 a wedge movably mounted within the contracted end of the wedge-shaped opening,

a strip instrument, and means connecting the strip instrument With lthe free ends of the approximately Y-shaped trame.'

2. A dental appliance, comprising an integral approximately Y-shaped frame in cluding a resilient handle portion having relatively movable sides, means to move said sides away from each other, a strip instru nient, and means connecting the strip instrument With the freeends of the approxi-l mately Y-shaped frame.

3. A dental appliance, comprising an in- "tegral substantially Y-shaped frame including a-resilicnt handle portion having relatively moi/able sides arranged to f form a insonne Wedge-shaped opening therebetween, a Wedge mounted within'the contracted end of the Wedge-shaped opening, an instrument, and adjustable means connecting the instrument with the free ends of the substantially Y-shaped frame.

d. A dental appliance, comprising an approximately Y-shaped frame including a handle portion having oppositely disposed relatively movable sides arranged to form a Wedge-shaped opening, a Wedge movably mounted Within such Wedge-shaped opening in slidable engagement with said sides and provided with a' longitudinal opening,l guide element or el'rnents connected with said sides and passing through the opening in the Wedge, a strip instrument, and means to detachably connect the strip instrument with the ends of said approximately Y-,shaped frame. f

5. A dental appliance, comprisin a suitably stiff and resilient iframe i- ,cluding spaced arms, means to lmovethe arms away from each other, holding-posts rotatably mounted through the spaced arms and pr0 FOREST O. KEIFER.

Witnesses E. M, lPiNKnn'roN, WV. H. ELMORE. 

